Talk:American Chinese cuisine/Archive 4

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Ingredients
Perhaps we should put a section in on substitutions made by American Chinese places. As stated in the article, broccoli, carrots and onion are generally substituted for their Chinese counterparts, probably due to the slight difference in taste and the difference in cost and availability. Instead of mentioning this with respect to specific dishes, we should mention this in general. Eds01 (talk) 19:01, 15 January 2010 (UTC)

American and Canadian Chinese cuisine
After reading these two articles, I think, due to the countries' close culture link, results in significant overlap in content. Anyone up for a merge? SYSS Mouse (talk) 17:37, 21 April 2008 (UTC)

yeah it makes sense —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.122.119.33 (talk) 00:18, 3 October 2008 (UTC)

The passage that talks about ingredients being used in American Chinese food that isn't in Mainland Chinese cuisine about broccoli makes no sense, how is using broccoli in America considered rare in China if Chinese eat it 10x the amount American's do? 98.28.68.59 (talk) 20:08, 1 February 2009 (UTC)


 * "how is using broccoli in America considered rare in China if Chinese eat it 10x the amount American's do?" That's because Americans eat broccoli 10x more than the amount that people in China do. I mean really, unlesss you can provide some evidence for that statement, you sound like a paid-for loon by the CCP. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 94.173.123.54 (talk) 13:10, 23 May 2010 (UTC)

Chinese Food Delivery
Proposal to add delivery of Chinese Food Delivery to this article, or to start a new article. Feedback is desired towards format and content. Absentia (talk) 18:14, 3 November 2008 (UTC)

Differences from Native Chinese Cuisines
The article as is states: "Most American Chinese establishments cater to non-Chinese customers with menus written in English or containing pictures. If separate Chinese-language menus are available, they typically feature delicacies like liver, chicken feet or other exotic meat dishes that might deter Western customers. In New York's Chinatown, the restaurants are legendary for refusing to offer non-Chinese Americans the "secret" (i.e., authentic) menu."

The last sentence in this passage is untrue in relation to the sentences that precede it. Most restaurants in New York City's Chinatown cater to Chinese as well as Western patrons, with the exception of the minority of restaurants that obviously cater exclusively to tourists. Menus are very rarely English-only in Chinatown. Most menus are extensive and bilingual, and include dishes containing whole small frogs, pigs' feet, and "other exotic meat dishes that might deter Western customers". —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.192.25.44 (talk) 16:09, 15 April 2009 (UTC)

The notion of a "secret" menu seems a bit silly. Even today, some restaurants frequented by Chinatown locals display menu items along a wall. Each menu item and its price is written in Chinese calligraphy with brush and ink on a vertical strip of paper, approximately 4 by 18 inches. Though one would need to read Chinese to know that it included items not on the printed menu, a wall menu is visible from anywhere in the room, so can hardly be considered secret. Monomoit (talk) 01:30, 17 January 2010 (UTC)

I live in China and find many of the items on this page to be anecdotal or untrue. For example, MSG is very common to find in dishes where I live, used in both the restaurants here and in homes. Kung Pao chicken is less spicy here (at some establishments) than some places in the U.S. The dishes in this part of China are much, much more oily and salty than in most establishments I've eaten at in the U.S. In summary, there is a lot to disagree with on this page and also doesn't take into context the vast variety of styles found in China (i.e., some dishes in China are spicier than other regions, sweet, etc.). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 15.195.201.86 (talk) 19:26, 20 October 2009 (UTC)

I agree with Monomoit. This reference to a secret menu is based on prejudice: "In New York's Chinatown, the restaurants were known for refusing to offer non-Chinese Americans the 'secret' (i.e. authentic) menu." Considering what is written on the rest of this page, what is authentic American Chinese cuisine anyway? Also, this entry lists Anthony Bourdain's No Reservation as its source (problematic in and of itself), but Bourdain's Chinese American friend offers a more nuanced explanation. This entry needs to be up-dated to reflect this. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.77.25.180 (talk) 12:23, 5 July 2010 (UTC)

Types of restaurants
The notion that American Chinese restaurants consist only of take-out establishments and buffets is a bit ridiculous. There are obviously many high quality, sit down Chinese restaurants that cater to American tastes. Perhaps someone with time to research and provide appropriate citations could improve this section. 192.91.173.42 (talk) 14:44, 15 October 2009 (UTC) JB from NJ

Here in Boston, MA, most Chinese restaurants have sit-down facilities. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.6.88.228 (talk) 06:06, 23 June 2010 (UTC)

The idea that all, or even most, American Chinese establishments particularly differ in "format" from other restaurants is entirely unjustified, and in my opinion, entirely preposterous. Any restaurant can provide delivery, take-out, a buffet, counter-service, car-service, waiter-service, etc. This article (American Chinese cuisine) is NOT the appropriate place for a breakdown potential of service models. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.173.109.50 (talk) 20:47, 1 July 2010 (UTC)

Now Chicken Wings?
from my experience it's one of the more popular lunch items 173.2.224.226 (talk) 01:20, 16 June 2010 (UTC)